Fornesighe

Nestled on a sunny south-facing slope, Fornesighe enjoys enchanting views of the Tamer-San Sebastiano mountain range and the Spiz di Mezzodì, spectacular northern offshoots of the Belluno Dolomites National Park. Strolling through its cobbled streets and quiet alleys is like taking a plunge into the past: a maze of wooden and stone houses, larch balconies (“solèr”), outdoor ladders and perfectly preserved tabià bear witness to a peasant and alpine culture that has remained intact over the centuries.

The very name of the village recalls its industrial past: “Fornesighe” derives from “ovens” and “fusine,” tools for processing metals extracted from the mines of the nearby Val Inferna. A historical legacy that is harmoniously intertwined with rural life, visible in the details of the dwellings and local traditions.

Architecture and memory

Fornesighe holds buildings of considerable historical and artistic value. These include the “dei Beretin” workshop decorated with a fresco by Bruno De Pellegrin, and the historic houses Arnoldo “Camelin,” Costantin “Duodi,” De Pellegrin “Geli,” Mosena, Ros “Thoòt,” and Costantin “Ofiziai,” along with the Toldo-De Pellegrin tabià. Each house tells a story, each carved wood is a fragment of memory passed down through time.

The church and the former dairy

The spiritual centerpiece of the village is the Church of San Vito, documented as early as 1570 but of even older origin. The present structure, remodeled and enlarged in the 18th century, houses the high altar made by Giovanni Paolo Gamba Zampol around 1761. Opposite the church is the former social dairy, now home to the cultural association Al Piodech Zoldan. The building, frescoed on the outside by Vico Calabrò, is now a small ethnographic museum collecting milk processing tools, wood carvings and a valuable collection of traditional masks.

Living traditions: “La Gnaga” and the piodech

In Fornesighe, traditions are still an integral part of the social fabric. Among the most heartfelt is the Carnival of “La Gnaga”, with hand-carved wooden masks and typical dishes. Every first weekend in February, the village is transformed into a lively stage of mountain rituals, folklore and irony, culminating in the Wooden Faces Review of Mountain Carnivals.

Also very significant is the tradition of piodech, from the Latin publicum plovegum, meaning work performed for the community. This collective practice, widespread until the mid-twentieth century, became relevant again in difficult times such as the 1966 flood, and today represents a strong bond of solidarity among the inhabitants.

The township of La Veda

Not far from the town, reached by a short walk through the greenery, is La Veda: an ancient summer hamlet once used for transhumance. Although today it is no longer inhabited, it retains its archaic charm, a witness to a mountain life deeply rooted in nature and seasonal rhythms.

Fornesighe is an authentic village, where every corner tells a story and where traditions, art and collective memory coexist in harmony with the landscape. It is an ideal destination for those who want to discover the truest soul of the Belluno Dolomites, among culture, nature and a welcome that tastes like home.